tea of the month
by dilemmas
Summary: "do you want some tea?" [post-mr. & mrs. anderson] [the girls team!fic]


Garcia's first suggestion had been tattoos; she knew Emily already had at least one (and whenever the subject arose, JJ would blush just a little), but that of course, lead to what to get. They brainstormed. Emily suggested a word, not some trampy "love" in Japanese script or anything, but something more meaningful. It had taken a minute to rummage through her various languages and dialects, but she found one; b'shert [באשַערט] a Yiddish word meaning "destiny", the seeking of a person who complements you, perfectly, and you you complement perfectly back. JJ suggested a butterfly, for the sisters she had found. This all had Penelope tearing up, which set the other two off, and they benched the discussion, hopefully earmarking it for a later date.

With the time difference it's not like they could all get drunk together over Skype, and even if they could, it would always be work-permitting. Though it was tempting, incredibly so. Maybe they'd pick a date and make sure they all got that weekend off.

It'd be a miracle if they all got to speak every couple of weeks, even once a month. Eventually, it would peter out to birthdays, maybe Christmas or Thanksgiving. They needed something constant, an every day connection. Even if they didn't get to talk.

Then JJ asked if Emily would develop as much of a tea habit as she has coffee.

It didn't hit her until she and Emily were walking, arm-in-arm, through Harrods. Teapots. Teapots, teacups, teaspoons, tea-strainers, saucers-Tea! Tea Of The Month! This would be it, this would be their grown-up BFF necklaces! She'd all but left Emily in the dust as her department store ESP lead her to the china. After that, it wasn't long until they'd found three complementary sets. They decided to keep JJ out of the loop on the sets; Garcia was, of course, bringing back souvenirs for everyone, but she needed to bring back something extra special for JJ, and seeing as drugging her friend and putting her on a plane to DC didn't seem like a viable option (though Derek could possibly be persuaded as an accomplice), she'd go with the tea set.

* * *

It's like the moment that first case back was over Garcia bought out an entire tea store. Which was impossible. There aren't any tea-only stores in the US, and JJ was close to suggesting Garcia open her own. Barely a year later, she had a small display cabinet dedicated to teapots, teacups, all purely Penelope. Somehow, she'd even acquired an elephant teapot, with the trunk as the spout and everything! It was their way of having a piece of Emily with them. They'd talk, text, Skype whenever they got the chance, and made sure to make a decision on next month's tea.

Not long after, they'd built up a nice supply in the BAU, making sure to point out to everyone which tea was this month's pick. It ended up as a comfort to all of them.

The July after Emily left, Spence's mum started resisting her treatment, it didn't last long, and it's not like it hadn't happened before, but Reid was still run ragged with worry. This wasn't the first time her loss was felt, and certainly not the last, but when JJ set that cup of tea in front of him, it made that loss just a little bit more bearable.

On that first anniversary of Carolyn's death, from his office window, Hotch saw Rossi sneak that month's tea, an Oxfam peppermint, into his rinsed out coffee mug. Emily had been his sounding board and confidant throughout the weeks before and after her death; she'd been there for him through his divorce, to Haley's death and long after, he couldn't imagine what he would've done without her; and now Rossi needed that same support. This clandestine tea-drinking only lasted a couple of days, though, as one afternoon he made his way to the kitchenette with a furtive smile, and offered tea to whomever wanted.

In the weeks after their second round with Buford, Garcia would bring Morgan a twin culpa when she'd surface for her own. Even if he'd just gotten a fresh coffee, he'd always switch to the tea.

So it was a surprise to no one that the first thing Penelope did upon JJ's return was offer her tea.

Six hours wasn't long enough, a lifetime wouldn't be long enough, but having that piece of Emily, something warm and fragrant and tangible, was more of a comfort than any of them had ever imagined.


End file.
